Flight Instructor

[heliflyknow]

Okay fellow Aviators, I'm a new pilot. Well not even officially a pilot yet, I have to pass my check ride to get my private pilot certificate. My conundrum is should I request a different flight instructor for next semester or continue with the one I have. Here is a little back story, I am enrolled in a flight school that has a ~21 month program that takes you to CFII. I am in the final part of the second semester which is the stage check/ check ride for my private pilot cert. Last semester my instructor had around 1,000 hours in the AC we fly (r44), after I finished last semester my instructor moved out of state for a job in Alaska. This semester I have a new instructor, last semester was his first time acting as a CFI. So I am his 3 or fourth student ever. I am thinking of requesting a new CFI, not because I think my current FI is not knowledgable, but I feel he over controls the helicopter. It's like I have auto pilot most of the time. I'm not saying I fly perfectly or that I don't make mistakes, but it feels like my instructor senses what is happening before it happens and makes corrections before I have a chance to see/feel what's going and make my own inputs. It's frustrating to me because I'm not learning anything if he is flying. I have around 20 hours with him and I have told him that I need more time before he starts flying to recognize/ correct what I'm doing, but it seems he is still apprehensive to let me fly. He says I fly well, but I feel like I haven't progressed since last semester since every critical maneuver is mostly controlled by him. It sounds foolish to say, but I think he is too carefull or too "safe" to really learn from. I understand he doesn't want to die, but I have to learn what feels right, I have to do the maneuvers my self, I have to be confident that my decisions/inputs are correct to become a pilot. Or am I wrong? Anyways, any insight on how to overcome this, or the most professional way to request a new instructor is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Flying Pig]

Before you go requesting a new CFI, print this out and hand it to your instructor and see what he says

[rotornut67]

He has to let you fly! You will never learn to correct mistakes by him taking the controls before you have a chance to correct what you have done. That's easy for me to say sitting in my recliner drinking coffee and not being in the left seat with you, I don't know how you fly. But after 20 hours with him if you are progressing at an average pace, he should be on the controls very little. Still guarding them yes, but letting you fly. But like I say I am arm chair quarter backing here too. Like the Pig said, show him what you posted and if that doesn't work then go to the chief...on the other hand, the most common complaint from a student is that the instructor is too "tight" on the controls.

[rick1128]

It is a common issue with new CFIs. Discuss the problem with the Chief Flight Instructor. It is his job to maintain training standards. If you are not happy with your instructor or feel that you are not learning at a proper rate, he needs to know. You own your flight training, take ownership of it.

Edited July 26, 2013 by rick1128

[ridethisbike]

Just talk to your instructor. I've had to do it a couple times and it was never a big deal. One didn't necessarily agree with what I was saying, but he made a conscious effort after we talked to not touch the controls.

[heliflyknow]

I have talked to my instructor about this almost every flight. I'm not the type of person that goes over someone's head without talking to them first. The first/only time we did hover auto's HE kept pulling the collective much sooner than what I was used to with my last instructor, making it more difficult for me to control. I think I have pretty much made up my mind to change my FI before next semester, I don't think we will ever be on the same page. So I guess I will talk to the chief after my check ride.

[silver-eagle]

How many hours do YOU have? If you are near your checkride, then Mr Instructor should be a lot more hands off. If you are pre-solo, or just post solo, then maybe a little more control is needed. In either case, talk with the chief, maybe even fly with the chief and see what he thinks.

Knowing the crap I get into, I'm glad he's still there. A little help is a good thing but if he wants to fly, he should be paying for it!

[Spike]

Okay fellow Aviators, I'm a new pilot. Well not even officially a pilot yet, I have to pass my check ride to get my private pilot certificate. My conundrum is should I request a different flight instructor for next semester or continue with the one I have. Here is a little back story, I am enrolled in a flight school that has a ~21 month program that takes you to CFII. I am in the final part of the second semester which is the stage check/ check ride for my private pilot cert. Last semester my instructor had around 1,000 hours in the AC we fly (r44), after I finished last semester my instructor moved out of state for a job in Alaska. This semester I have a new instructor, last semester was his first time acting as a CFI. So I am his 3 or fourth student ever. I am thinking of requesting a new CFI, not because I think my current FI is not knowledgable, but I feel he over controls the helicopter. It's like I have auto pilot most of the time. I'm not saying I fly perfectly or that I don't make mistakes, but it feels like my instructor senses what is happening before it happens and makes corrections before I have a chance to see/feel what's going and make my own inputs. It's frustrating to me because I'm not learning anything if he is flying. I have around 20 hours with him and I have told him that I need more time before he starts flying to recognize/ correct what I'm doing, but it seems he is still apprehensive to let me fly. He says I fly well, but I feel like I haven't progressed since last semester since every critical maneuver is mostly controlled by him. It sounds foolish to say, but I think he is too carefull or too "safe" to really learn from. I understand he doesn't want to die, but I have to learn what feels right, I have to do the maneuvers my self, I have to be confident that my decisions/inputs are correct to become a pilot. Or am I wrong? Anyways, any insight on how to overcome this, or the most professional way to request a new instructor is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

You stated you have over 20 hours with this instructor, I’d say you’ve let it go for far too long. IMO, instructors have 3 chances to get it right. After the third strike, they’re done. Therefore, my suggestion is, arrange a flight with the CP and request to fly a simulated check-ride. After that, he should have an accurate assessment of your skill level and better understand what you require. Most importantly, stop flying with this instructor until you do the eval flight with the CP…….

[Goldy]

but it feels like my instructor senses what is happening before it happens and makes corrections before I have a chance to see/feel what's going and make my own inputs.

 

That's exactly what is happening.....after a few hours you start flying using your butt instead of your head.....basically you feel things way before you used to, making smaller inputs to fix them. But yes, the CFI should be letting you fix it.......mine used to always feel the helo out of trim before I would recognize it...so he would just tell me...pedal....rather than fixing it himself.

 

It's a tough call for a CFI, not knowing what you are going to do ALL the time. You could do 5 perfect hover auto's and then on the last one drop the collective instead of cushioning it...close to the ground things happen fast...if you've got altitude, you've got time. I would talk to the guy and then make a move if things don't improve.

[PondJumper]

I've run into this as well, and had the same talk with a previous instructor. It mainly happened while doing EP training. What I found to help (take autos for example) was for me to verbally announce each cross check while I make it, and each control input before I make it, so my instructor knows what I'm doing and what I'm about to do. I still do this (out of habit now), and I truly think it helped. Since then I have a new instructor (not because of the previously mentioned), and I still use this procedure.

 

Take steep approaches for example. I still verbally announce when I notice I have gotten too steep, and then state what I am about to do in order to correct for it. It seems to help the instructor know I have noticed what he is seeing, and to expect ME to make the correction.

[aussiecop]

I had the excact thing happen to me...twice. Once with a brand new instructor, much like you stated, overcontrolling and not letting me make mistakes. The second was a seasoned instructor but he had just bought his own helicopter so same issue because he was paranoid about wrecking the helicopter. I finally struck gold with my third instructor who was a 10k+ hours pilot who was amazing because he actually never flew the helicopter after I had proven I knew how to do it. When I looked over, I asked him why he wasn't touching the controls, his response was "I only touch the controls if you're going to kill us" which was exactly what I needed.

 

I spoke with both my first instructors and had to go up the chain, but eventually I was able to make it work, I suggest you do the same. You anre paying for it, hence you are the customer so you have the right to ask for what you want to be satisfied.